National News

5 ways housing has transformed over the last 35 years

This year marks 35 years of the National Association of Realtors’ Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, and to commemorate the latest survey’s Oct. 31 release, NAR spotlighted five integral ways that housing has changed in those 35 years. Here are

5 surprising facts about the 2016 homebuyer

With the billing of “the largest and most comprehensive survey of real estate consumers ever conducted,” Zillow’s 2016 Consumer Housing Trends Report arrived this week with considerable build-up, and indeed, the report does feature many interesting looks at the

Your comprehensive guide to CFPB’s newest TRID compliance updates

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau this month issued its new Small Entity Compliance Guide, which includes updated information for how to better comply with TRID. We’ve combed through the report, compared it to CFPB’s previous Small Entity Compliance Guide,

The 4 demographic trends that will transform housing in America

America’s demographics are transforming, and it will have huge implications on future real estate markets, said a new joint report from the Urban Land Institute and Terwilliger Center for Housing. The four biggest changes, analysts agreed, will take place

Real estate in 2025: 4 things to expect from the market of the future

The real estate market is subject to change, and over the next 10 years, it’s going to do just that – or at least that’s the conclusion of a joint report from the Urban Land Institute and Terwilliger Center for

To combat discrimination, CFPB asks lenders to report more racial/ethnic data

Although updated HMDA rules requiring lenders to report additional racial and ethnic information will come into effect in early 2018, a new CFPB ruling states that, if they want to, lenders may start reporting the data as soon as Jan. 1, 2017.

Court rules CFPB “unconstitutionally structured”

A federal appeals court in Washington, D.C. ruled today the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is “unconstitutionally structured” and that the scope of Director Richard Cordray’s position is a “threat to individual liberty.” Henceforth his power has been limited. The

Real estate to play a big role in U.S. investors’ 2017 strategy

Better Homes and Real Gardens Real Estate surveyed 1,000 U.S. investors and found that 89 percent are interested in investing in real estate as part of their investment strategy.  The survey also revealed that 80 percent of investors believe

How do consumers view housing? 7 facts agents should consider

Fannie Mae’s National Housing Survey is among the more detailed inquiries into how everyday consumers view the U.S.’ housing market, and the Home Purchase Sentiment Index (HPSI) portion of the survey – which details how Americans view the buying

Appraisals remain a problem for thousands of real estate agents

Back in 2012, appraisals were a hot item. Thanks to a myriad of factors – chief among them inexperienced appraisers and dramatic changes to how the industry was organized – low appraisals were the cause of numerous contract failures

NAR: the 5 curb appeal-boosting projects buyers love most

Ninety-eight percent of Realtors believe buyers respond to curb appeal, a National Association of Realtors report found. Improving a home’s curb appeal is a quick and relatively inexpensive way (as far as home-improvement projects go) to boost a home’s

Crowdfunding expert David Wieland talks 1031 exchanges – “…30-40 percent return on their net equity in less than 180 days”

David Wieland is the founder and CEO of Realized, an online crowdfunding platform that simplifies the 1031 exchange process; a process he discussed with us in regards to how it affects real estate agents.  Chicago Agent (CA): First and

The 10 biggest challenges for real estate firms in 2016

Last week, we reported on NAR’s “Profile of Real Estate Firms,” an exhaustive look at the composition of today’s realty businesses and a projection of where they are heading. Our first report looked at the state of real estate firms

The digital marketing strategy agents can’t afford to ignore

For most buyers and sellers, contacting a real estate agent isn’t their first step. Their first move is to go online. Sixty-six percent of Realtors and 70 percent of brokers have a website, the National Association of Realtors’ 2015 Member

Case Shiller: Chicagoland home prices rise second-most in the nation

Home prices in the Chicagoland housing market posted the second-strongest monthly increase in the U.S., according to the latest Case-Shiller Home Price Indices from Standard & Poor’s. From June to July, Chicagoland prices rose 0.9 percent, which was ahead

Agents’ Choice 2016 Finalists – Revealed!

  The votes are in! Thank you to the many members of our real estate community, who submitted thousands of votes and helped generate buzz for this year’s Agents’ Choice Awards. We’ve tallied up the votes and determined the

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